


Little Things

by PeriodDramaFan



Category: The Sound of Music - Rodgers/Hammerstein/Lindsay & Crouse
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26273515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeriodDramaFan/pseuds/PeriodDramaFan
Summary: A series of one-shots all based around Maria and Georg. There's a bit of everything in here: romance, family, drama, angst, hurt and comfort...you name it, it's most likely got it! I hope that you enjoy and maybe leave a comment to let me know what you think :)
Relationships: Brigitta von Trapp & Georg von Trapp, Elsa Schraeder/Georg von Trapp, Elsa Schraeder/Maria von Trapp, Georg Von Trapp/Liesl Von Trapp, Georg von Trapp/Maria von Trapp, Georg von Trapp/Reverend Mother, Liesl von Trapp/Maria von Trapp, Maria von Trapp/Reverend Mother, Max Detweiler/Elsa Schraeder, Max Detweiler/Georg von Trapp
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> So I used to write on here quite a while ago before I moved fully to fanfiction.net and forgot to update the stories on here! I have since decided to start afresh, however, and I thought that this little fanfiction was the best place to start. I don't have a set update schedule because I feel like I'll find it easier to write if I'm not under pressure, but there shouldn't be that much time between each chapter. I really hope that you enjoy these little one-shots and I can't wait to see what you think of them!

Maria smiled at her reflection when she was standing in front of the mirror in the bedroom that she and her husband shared on New Year’s Eve, her gaze following her hands as she ran them down the front of her wine-red gown and smoothed out the creases in the material. The light from the lamp that sat on her dressing table hit the diamond ring on her finger and made her lift her hand, a soft sigh falling from her lips as she thought back to when Georg had given it to her at their wedding. How had a year passed so quickly?

So much had happened over the past fourteen months. So many incredible things.

She had had the chance to leave Austria for the first time in her life and spend four months in Paris with the man she adored with all her heart and soul, she had learned what it meant to be a wife as well as a mother and Baroness, and the biggest blessing that she’d received…well, she was cooing away behind her while she laid on the bed and gummed on her hand. Turning in place, she sighed to herself and her heart swelled at the sight of the baby girl who had taught her so much about sacrifice since she’d entered the world.

Rosemarie had decided to make her appearance and change her life forever almost four months ago, mere days into September, and she and Georg were still just as besotted with her as they had been on the evening of her birth. She was her father’s double with her dark curls and deep blue eyes, and in their opinion she was the definition of perfection. Once she had neatened up her fringe, Maria headed over to the bed and smiled as she bent at the waist to lift her little girl into the cradle of her arms and snug her to her chest.

‘Hello, you…’ She crooned as she swayed in place with her for a moment and stroked her cheek with the back of her hand, pure love for her in her eyes as she stared up at her and a wide smile spread across her face. She had been blessing her and her husband with smiles and infectious little giggles for the past couple of weeks now, but neither of them had grown tired of seeing or hearing them. ‘Your vati will think you’re the most beautiful girl in all of Aigen when he sees you, sweet-pea, won’t he?’ She eased one of her curls back beneath her ear while looking down at the red velvet dress she had sewn for her, a smile of pride curling her lips as she did so.

It had taken far longer than she had anticipated to get it finished and she had worried that it wouldn’t be ready in time for the party, but Georg had been a darling and taken care of Rosemarie for the afternoon a couple of days ago so that she could focus and finally finish it. She had even had time to get a matching headband made and she had to admit that it made her look all the more precious.

The sound of the bedroom door opening made her glance up from her little girl some time later and butterflies filled her stomach at the look on her husband’s face as he slipped into the room. He closed the door quietly behind him before approaching her and their daughter, and when he reached them he brought his hand to her cheek and caught her in a kiss that was nothing short of exquisite. She felt him stroke the skin at the side of her eye with his thumb as their kiss lingered for several long seconds, and when he pulled back from her and touched his forehead to hers she smirked. ‘I don’t think it’s midnight just yet, Captain…’ She teased breathlessly.

‘There’s no law against a man kissing his beloved before midnight on New Year’s Eve,’ He retorted. ‘And believe me, with you in this dress there’s going to be a lot more where that came from.’ The blush that bloomed in her cheeks as he brushed his fingers against the warm skin of her back through the gap in the dress made him chuckle, and he couldn’t resist leaving a kiss to her temple before turning his attention to their baby girl. ‘Well, well, well, I see mutti isn’t the only one who looks perfect tonight,’ He traced the curve of Rosemarie’s cheek with his fingers before smiling when Maria allowed him to take her from her. ‘You are growing up far too fast.’

A surge of warmth coursed through Maria as she pulled on her elbow-length gloves and watched her husband hold their little girl in his arms, her love for them deepening as he peppered delicate kisses over her cheeks and she gurgled with delight at the sensation. At just three months old, Rosemarie was well and truly besotted with her father and well on her way to becoming a firm father’s girl. She never stopped beaming when he was around and when she was in his arms, and it appeared as though her favourite thing to do was lie on his chest and have skin-to-skin with him. Their bond was so strong and knowing that filled Maria’s heart with happiness.

‘The first guests will be arriving any minute now, my love,’ The sound of Georg’s voice pulled her from her thoughts and back to the present. ‘So we should probably think about heading downstairs. It’s not going to look too good if we aren’t there when they arrive.’

She nodded with a giggle before straightening the string of pearls around her neck and sliding her hand into his once he had moved Rosemarie into one arm, her eyes drifting closed for a moment when he pressed his lips to her cheek and hummed against her skin. ‘I love you, Georg…’ She whispered as she opened her eyes when he pulled back and brought her free hand to the front of his chest.

‘I love you too,’ He reassured her. ‘Come on.’

He then gave her hand a squeeze and tightened his hold of Rosemarie before they left the bedroom and made their way downstairs.

* * *

‘Liesl wanted me to come and find you and ask you to come inside because the countdown will be starting soon,’ Georg chuckled as he came to stand beside his wife on the terrace and laid his hand on the small of her back as it neared midnight, Maria smiling up at him while she cuddled against him and laid her head on his shoulder. ‘You’ve been out here for a while, darling, is everything okay?’

‘Oh yes,’ She replied. ‘I’ve just been thinking.’

‘Help us all,’ He teased before she smacked his chest and he slid his hand around to her waist. ‘What’ve you been thinking about?’

She sighed and looked out over the lake. ‘It’s nothing bad, I promise, I’ve just been thinking about how incredible this year has been and how much has changed. I never thought that I would have any of this. I never thought that I would have a husband or a title and I definitely never thought that I would have eight children,’ The two of them laughed together before she tilted her head back on his shoulder and looked into his eyes again. ‘I know that we haven’t been married all that long, but you’ve already given me the life that I could only dream about when I lived with my uncle and I…I don’t believe I’ll ever be able to tell you how much I adore you for that.’

Georg looked at her in silence for a moment and felt his heart sink in his chest as he remembered her telling him about all her uncle had made her endure as a child. She had lived on bread and dripping for nine years while he had had a full meal every night, he had made her scrub the farmhouse from top-to-bottom every day while he was down at the market and if it hadn’t been sparkling when he had come home then she had received a beating and been locked up in the attic for hours. It was no surprise she was petrified of spiders. Just thinking of her uncle filled him with rage and he wouldn’t hesitate to make him regret everything if their paths crossed.

He was brought back to the present when she rose up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his cheek, and after shaking his head to rid his mind of the dark thoughts he turned her in his arms and brought her close before reaching up to ease her hair out of her face. ‘I could kill your uncle for what he put you through…’ He hooked his finger beneath her chin and directed her gaze back to his when she looked at his chest in an attempt to keep her tears from him. ‘You never should have been forced to endure all of that, my darling, but he’s not around anymore and he can’t do a thing to harm you.’ He watched the sweetest smile appear upon her lips.

‘I don’t have the first clue of what I would do if I didn’t have you.’ Her voice trembled and a single tear began to fall down her cheek.

He caught the tear on his finger and removed it from her cheek before bringing both hands to her face, the two of them looking into each other’s eyes for a moment before he lowered his head and caught her in a gentle kiss. His lips were warm and soft against hers and she hummed in contentment against him while bringing her hands to his waist, her fingers curling themselves into his jacket as he ran his thumbs across her cheeks. Should she have been able to, she would gladly have stood there with him for the rest of time. Much too soon, though, she began to feel lightheaded and so she brushed one more kiss against his lips before slowly pulling back.

‘You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known, both inside and out, and I am so blessed to have you for my wife.’ He sighed.

She decided not to answer him with words, choosing instead to just wrap both arms around his middle and lie her head on his chest so that she could listen to the beating of his heart. For a couple of minutes after that, as the band continued playing within the villa, the two of them stood together in comfortable silence and made the most of the first moment alone they had managed to find since the start of the party. When the band stopped playing and they heard the sound of the guests beginning to count down to midnight, however, Maria tilted her head back against her husband’s chest and shared a smile with him while he brushed a hand over her hair.

‘Happy New Year, Georg.’ She grazed the tip of her nose against his.

‘Happy New Year, Maria…’ He replied.

The two of them then shared a warm and chaste kiss, their hearts filled with love and happiness as they saw in another perfect year.

* * *

It was about an hour-or-so later when Maria was sat up in bed with her little girl nestled in the cradle of her arms, a tender smile on her lips as she supported the back of her head with her hand and stroked her thumb against the dark curls there while watching her nurse. Even though she had had the most wonderful night and it had been lovely to speak to Baroness Elberfeld again and introduce her to Rosemarie, she had to admit that she was exhausted now and was rather glad that the guests had gone home some time ago.

Her tiredness must have been plain to see, too, because her husband had turned to her almost as soon as they had seen off the last of the guests and told her to go to bed. He had reassured her that he would see to it that Marta and Gretl brushed their teeth before bed and read them a story before they went to sleep, and she was sure that he hadn’t a clue about how much that had meant to her. He was always looking for ways to help her out with their children and that was just one of the things she loved the most about him.

‘Come on, little miss…’ She lowered her head and brushed her lips against Rosemarie’s temple while she continued to take her feed. ‘You know that mutti loves having these cuddles with you, but it’s very late now and we both need to try and get a little bit of sleep.’ Rosemarie simply snuffled against her breast and cuddled closer to her while gazing up into her eyes, and she felt her heart swell in her chest as she leaned back into her pillows and made herself comfortable. She may have been tired, but she loved these moments.

The bedroom door creaked open after a while and when she lifted her head she smiled at Georg as he walked into the room with his jacket in hand, her gaze following him as he approached her dressing table after closing the door and hung his jacket over the chair before walking over to their bed. The mattress dipped underneath her as he sat down and reclined against the headboard, and when he eased an arm around her shoulders she let her head loll back against his shoulder and smiled up at him. ‘So much for me getting an earlier night, hmm?’ She giggled as he brushed his thumb against her upper arm. ‘The moment I got into bed she started crying.’

Georg chuckled and kissed her on the forehead before moving closer to her and lowering his gaze to their baby girl, a sigh escaping him as he watched her look at her mother. He couldn’t make himself believe that she was going to be four months old in a matter of days. He could still remember being out in the passage on the night of her birth, a cigarette between his lips as he’d paced back and forth and winced every time his wife had cried out in pain. She had dragged her heels, that was for sure, but after six long hours she had entered the world and the second he’d set eyes on her he had fallen in love. She had been every bit as perfect as he’d imagined.

She was no longer the tiny newborn she had once been, though.

She had grown so much over the past couple of weeks and she definitely had her own little personality now, something that both he and her mother loved. She never stopped babbling these days, no doubt something she had gotten from Maria since she was always talking, and she seemed to have some kind of obsession with tugging on his hair and ears whenever she was settled at his shoulder. He loved her with every fibre of his being and he had told himself that he would never let a day go by without reminding her of that. ‘Thank you so much for her, my darling,’ He whispered as he glanced at his wife again. ‘I can’t tell you how much she means to me.’

‘You don’t have to thank me, Georg, we made her together.’ She reminded him before closing her eyes when he kissed her tenderly.

It wasn’t too long later when the two of them parted from their kiss and she looked down at Rosemarie after realising that her sucks had become somewhat infrequent, and relief surged through her at the sight of their little girl fast asleep in her arms. ‘At last…’ She breathed before easing her back from her breast and sitting forward for a second in order to pull the sleeve of her nightgown up her arm, pure love for her living in her eyes when she settled down in Georg’s embrace again and took her tiny hand in hers to stroke it. ‘Would you mind bringing her wind up for me?’ She leaned against her husband with a sigh. ‘I wouldn’t ask, but I…I’m just so tired.’

‘Give her here,’ He removed his arm from around her shoulders and sat up properly next to her before she eased their daughter into his arms and he smiled as he settled her against his chest, his lips seeking out the top of her head as he began to coax up her wind. ‘You lie down and get some sleep, darling, because Marta and Gretl are going to come running in here before we know it and I don’t want you half-dead tomorrow. I’ll get Rosie changed and put her down once I’ve winded her and then I’ll come to bed too, all right?’ He spoke in a soft voice while alternating between patting and rubbing Rosemarie’s back, relieved when Maria hummed in response.

She rested a hand on her knee through his trousers and kissed him on the cheek before turning around to turn off the lamp that sat on her nightstand, and when she laid herself down under the quilt and her head hit the pillow she felt all the tension leave her body. ‘Georg?’ She mumbled as she curled up and slid her hand under her pillow. ‘There’s no-one else I’d rather see the new year in with.’ The sound of his chuckle made her heart swell and she revelled in the feeling of his fingers trailing through her hair a moment later.

‘Me neither, Maria…’ He admitted. ‘And I can’t wait to find out what this year has in store for us.’

Once she had given him a sleepy smile he removed his fingers from her hair and continued to wind their little girl who had managed to snuggle further into his warmth, his cheek coming to rest atop her head as he held her to him and listened to her light breathing. He didn’t have the first idea of what challenges and surprises 1940 had brought with it, but there was one thing that he was sure of.

There was never going to be a dull moment.


	2. Chapter Two

The sight of her fiancé sitting at the piano brought a smile to Maria’s lips when she was standing in the doorway to the music room, her arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the doorframe and watched his quick fingers move along the keys with ease. He had never once told her that he could play. She knew that he was a man of many talents and had mastered the guitar many years ago, but she had never had the pleasure of hearing him play the piano before and she couldn’t believe how simple he made it seem. Deciding to approach him so that she could get a closer look, she pushed away from the doorframe and ran a hand through her hair as she walked up behind him before resting her hands on his shoulders. ‘Hello…’ She buried her lips in his hair and kissed his head.

His hands fell from the keys as her kiss lingered for a time and he felt her sigh against him, and when she pulled back he turned on the bench and brought his hands to her waist so he could sit her down on her knee. ‘Well, hello…’ He murmured, wrapping one arm around her and cupping her cheek in his other hand so that he could guide her into a soft kiss while she brushed her fingers against the hair at the side of his head. He sucked on her lower lip when they brought their kiss to an end just moments later, and when her eyes flickered open again he chuckled. ‘I missed you,’ He smiled. ‘How was tea with the Reverend Mother? Did you have a nice time?’

‘I had a lovely time,’ She nodded. ‘She asked me where we’re going for the honeymoon, but obviously I couldn’t tell her since you’re so hell-bent on keeping it a surprise until after the wedding. I don’t understand why you can’t just tell me; you know I hate waiting!’

‘And I wonder where Marta and Gretl get it from,’ He teased. ‘Trust me, my love, it’ll be worth the wait and it’s not as though you’ve got months to wait. In three more weeks, you’re going to be walking down the aisle and I’m finally going to be making you my wife.’

Just hearing him say that word caused a tiny shiver of excitement to run the length of her body. ‘Say that again…’

He nuzzled his nose against her ear and put his lips beside it before stroking her waist and whispering: ‘You’re going to be my wife.’

‘I still can’t believe it,’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever felt as happy as I do at this moment.’

‘Your happiness is the most important thing in the world to me. I hope to make you the happiest woman living.’ He admitted gently.

Bringing her hand to his face, she brushed a dark strand of hair back behind his ear before settling her hand on the back of his neck and kissing him. Their kiss was long and soft and chaste, and when his hand found the back of her head and his fingers ran through her hair she hummed and leaned against him. She doubted that she would ever get used to the feeling of being held in his embrace. He always made her feel so safe and adored when he was holding her, whether that was through words he said or things he did, and she was quite sure that she could spend the rest of her life in his arms and never tire of it. She loved him with all her heart and soul.

She broke their kiss when the urge to breathe began to build up within her after a time and leaned her forehead against his, the two of them smiling as she stroked the back of his neck with her thumb and they gazed at one another. ‘I’m already the happiest woman alive because of you,’ She breathed. ‘You’re so good to me and there aren’t words to describe just how much I love you for allowing the wedding to be held at the convent. I know that you don’t have a connection to the place like I do and I know it means nothing to you, but I’m so grateful to you for doing that for me. I think it’s the nicest way for me to leave my old life behind and start this one.’

When he smoothed his hand across her cheek in a tender caress, she allowed her eyes to fall closed of their own accord and nuzzled against him before opening her eyes again and looking past him at the piano. ‘You never told me that you could play so beautifully.’

‘I don’t play much anymore,’ He shrugged. ‘I used to play all the time for Liesl when she was growing up. It settled her for her naps.’

‘Would…would you teach me?’ She asked. ‘I had a couple of lessons from my grandmother when I spent weekends at her house as a child, but when she died I had to stop and then I went to stay with my uncle on his dairy farm. I’ve always wanted to be able to play.’

Georg shook his head with a chuckle. ‘If it means that much to you, darling, I would be delighted to teach you.’

The happiness that she felt was evident in her eyes and he felt the love he had for her deepen as he held her in his lap for a moment longer before easing her out of it. He then turned back to the piano and held a hand out to his fiancée after pushing the bench back somewhat, Maria slipping her own into it before walking around to the front of him and sitting herself down on his knee once again. ‘The first thing that you need to be aware of when playing the piano is which key is which and where to find it,’ He told her with one hand on her side through her blouse and the other hovering above the keys. ‘Starting from here it goes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and then B.’

Maria watched his fingers dance across the keys and listened to the different sounds each note made, a smile crossing her lips when the hand that laid on her side ventured around to her belly and she turned her head in his direction so that she could meet his gaze. ‘Why don’t you try that out a couple of times? Just to get yourself familiar with the different notes?’ He suggested before she nodded and focused her attention to the piano, and when her fingers started to move across the keys he rested his chin on her shoulder and watched. He didn’t doubt for a second that she would get the hang of it in no time at all. She was so talented and musically inclined.

‘I think I’m comfortable with where all of the notes are now…’ She admitted while taking her fingers off the keys and looking at him.

‘Good, now you need to learn how to play chords. Once you’ve learned how to do that, then you’ll be able to play anything you like.’ He told her, leaning in to steal a kiss which caused the most beautiful blush to rise in her cheeks. ‘Come here, let me teach you how to how to play a C major chord,’ He took one of her hands in his and brought it back to the piano, his touch warm as he showed her how to position her fingers on the correct keys. ‘There, now play that and see how it sounds.’ He smiled against the shell of her ear.

She played the note with ease before leaning back against his chest with a satisfied sigh and pulling his arms tight around her waist, her heart swelling in her chest when he caught her hands and slid his fingers through the gaps in hers while pressing a kiss into her neck. ‘Will you play something for me? Please?’ She asked as she looked into his eyes again with love and hope sparkling in her own.

‘Tired of lessons already, Fraulein?’ He teased.

She shook her head. ‘No, but I loved listening to you play just now and…and I’d like it if you played something for me.’

‘Is there anything in particular that you’d like me to play?’ His lips grazed her cheek as he spoke and he delighted in her little shiver.

‘Edelweiss…’ She replied without a moment’s hesitation.

He didn’t even have to ask why she wanted him to play that song in particular, the look on her face made it clear, and he was unable to resist the urge to lean his forehead against hers for a moment. ‘You don’t have the first idea of how much I love you.’ He told her.

‘I think I do, sweetheart, because if you didn’t love me as much as you do then I doubt you would have gone out and bought me this the other day.’ She slid a hand out from his and held it up so that he could see the beautiful engagement ring that sat on her finger. It was a very simple ring compared to others that the two of them had seen on display at the jewellers, but that was the one she had wanted. She hadn’t wanted the ring with the flashiest diamond or the extortionate price tag attached to it – both had been much too ostentatious for her liking. All she had wanted was something to symbolise her dedication to Georg and that was what she now had.

‘This ring reflects you perfectly,’ He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss just beneath the ring. ‘Simple yet indisputably beautiful.’

She smirked. ‘You are such a charmer, Captain.’

‘If a man can’t charm his fiancée less than a month before he’s to marry her, who can?’ He inquired.

‘Just stop talking and kiss me,’ She huffed before lacing her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his, the two of them chuckling together as his hands found her waist and she sank into him. They parted with a smack just moments later, and when she opened her eyes again she ran the tip of her nose along the bridge of his. ‘Will you play for me now? Max took the children on some kind of outing and Sister Bernice has relieved Sister Berthe for the afternoon, but I have a feeling that Max and the children won’t be out for much longer and you know how seriously he takes his chaperoning duties.’ She saw irritation flash in his eyes for a moment.

‘Don’t remind me,’ He groaned. ‘I can’t even look at you across the dinner table anymore without him tutting at me.’

The little pout that appeared on his face caused her to tut at him herself. ‘I don’t understand why you let him wind you up so much.’

‘He’s always been a little…irritating…but since we announced our engagement he’s been unbearable.’ He grumbled, rolling his eyes.

She let her hands slip around to the sides of his neck and followed the line of his jaw with her thumbs. ‘It’s worth it though, isn’t it?’

‘It’s more than worth it,’ He promised her. ‘The thought of a life with you is truly the only thing keeping me from wringing his neck.’

‘I love you, my Captain.’ She whispered with a giggle in her voice.

‘And I love you…’ He turned her in his lap so that her back was to him once again and his arms were able to reach around her waist, his fingers coming to rest on the keys on the piano as he pressed his lips to the back of her shoulder. ‘Are you ready?’ He mumbled.

She nodded. ‘I’m ready.’

He then began to play the opening to Edelweiss with her settled in his embrace, a smile on his lips at the sound of her singing under her breath. Never, in his whole life, had he ever found himself in a moment as incredible as this one. He was doing something he loved with the woman he both cherished and adored beside him, and he knew that every day for the rest of his life would be like this.

Nothing short of perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter, I truly appreciate it! Please let me know what you thought with a comment and I'll see you all next time!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mentions of miscarriage and stillbirth

‘Thank you so much for coming at such short notice…’ Georg sighed as the Reverend Mother started to approach him after stepping out of the motorcar. ‘I understand that you have a lot on your plate at the moment and I wouldn’t have asked it of you if I didn’t feel it was necessary, but I…I’m just at a loss about what to do. She isn’t eating, she isn’t sleeping, she isn’t talking to me and she won’t even let me comfort her. I keep trying to tell her that I don’t blame her for what happened, but I can tell that she doesn’t believe me. I think she’s managed to convince herself that I’m putting on a front and I secretly resent her for it, and I honestly believe that that’s why she’s keeping me at arm’s length. I need you to try and get through to her, mother, and help her to see that I just want to help.’

She gave him a small smile in response and laid her hand on the outside of his arm. ‘Take me to her and I’ll see what I can do.’

Turning on his heel, he led her inside the villa and up the stairs to the top floor before walking down the long passage which guided them to the bedroom he shared with his wife. He then turned the handle and opened the door as gently as possible, the two of them sharing a smile as he allowed her to enter the room before him. ‘That’s all she’s done for the past three days,’ He explained with his gaze fixed on Maria as he followed closely behind the Mother Abbess, his heart sinking at the sight of her curled up on her side with tears rolling down her face. ‘I tried to get her to eat a piece of toast when I came back up here after breakfast, but she wasn’t having any of it. I managed to get her to drink some water, though, which is something I suppose…’ He ran a hand over his face in despair.

‘You look exhausted, Captain, why not go and have five minutes to yourself while I sit with Maria?’ She turned to him.

He thought for a moment before he began to realise that that was her way of asking him to leave the room. ‘You’ll take care of her?’

‘Of course,’ She reassured him. ‘She won’t be alone for a second.’

Nodding his response, he left her side and made his way over to the bed before sitting down next to Maria and tenderly stroking her hair. ‘I’m just downstairs if you need me, my darling, all right?’ He whispered while wiping the tears off of her cheeks, and when she hummed in acknowledgement he leaned down and kissed her temple. ‘I love you…’ Once he had nuzzled his nose against her fringe he got up from the bed again and returned to the Mother Abbess, gratitude in his eyes when he stopped in front of her. ‘Thank you. Not just for coming to see Maria, but for everything you’ve done for her and this family. If it weren’t for you, everything would be so different and I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am.’ He watched a smile appear on the elder woman’s lips as she looked at him.

‘And I’m just as grateful to you for loving Maria the way you do, Captain,’ She admitted. ‘It’s all I’ve ever wanted for her.’

He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze before the two of them shared a look and he stepped around her in order to leave the room, and when she was alone with Maria she headed over to the armchair in front of the dressing table and brought it closer to the bed. Almost as soon as she had sat down, the young woman lifted her gaze to hers and it was clear that she was relieved to see her. ‘My sweet, sweet girl…’ She felt a lump come to her throat as she reached out to rest a hand on her damp cheek, not caring that she wasn’t supposed to indulge in such displays of affection. ‘You’ve been trying to carry too heavy a burden on your own for so long…’

‘They…they took my baby, mother…’ Maria finally whimpered after simply lying in silence and looking at her for a time. ‘They didn’t even let me hold her or see what she looked like. I understand that she had already passed away when she arrived, but I just wanted to have something other than the ordeal I went through to think about whenever I want to remember her. I thought…I thought that I would be able to remember what colour her hair was or if she looked more like Georg or myself if I held her, but the doctor just said that it would make things worse if I did that. I feel as though that should have been my decision to make, though, because I was her mother!’ She was sobbing softly and it took every ounce of strength that the Mother Abbess possessed to keep her own tears at bay.

‘You’re right, Maria, it should have been your decision,’ She slid her hand into hers. ‘They had no right to make that choice for you.’

Once Maria had managed to take a number of deep breaths and calm herself down a little sometime later, she ran her thumb across the elder woman’s knuckles. ‘The other day, I think I remember Georg saying something about getting a bench to put up in the rose garden. I walked through there every day when I was pregnant with her and I used to say that I couldn’t wait to show them all to her. He thinks it’ll be a nice way for me to remember her and it’ll give me somewhere peaceful to sit when I want to be alone for a while.’

‘Is that something you want?’ The Reverend Mother asked.

‘Yes,’ She replied. ‘I think it might help him too, to have a little bit of a memorial for her.’

The Reverend Mother sighed and released her hand in order to stroke her hair with her fingers, and when she looked up at her again she ran the backs of her fingers down her cheek. ‘Won’t you let him in, my dear? He just wants you to let him help you through this.’

‘But I’ve failed him.’ She shook her head.

‘I never want to hear those words come out of your mouth again…’ Both of them turned their heads in the direction of the bedroom door at the sound of Georg’s voice, and when he started to approach the bed Maria sat up a little and leaned against the headboard. The Mother Abbess smiled at him when he sat down on the other side of his wife, and he returned it before taking Maria’s hand and looking down at her wedding ring. ‘Do you remember what I promised you when I put this ring on your finger? I promised you that I would love you unconditionally for the rest of my life and be here for you in sickness and in health. What kind of husband would I be if I blamed you for something like this? Something that was out of your control? You couldn’t have foreseen that this would happen.’

Tears sparkled in Maria’s eyes as she sat beside him. ‘But…but you were so excited about the baby.’

‘Yes, darling, I was, but that doesn’t mean that I hate you or hold you responsible for what happened. I don’t know what caused you to go into premature labour, but what I do know is that you had no part in it. You did everything that the doctor advised you to, and so that leads me to believe that there was an underlying issue that wasn’t detected. None of this was your fault, Maria, not a bit of it and the last thing I want is for you to feel as though it is,’ He watched her lower lip tremble for a moment as she looked down at her lap, and when she burst into tears he wrapped her in his arms and released a sigh of relief into her hair when she fell onto his chest. ‘It’s all right,’ He soothed with one hand holding the back of her head in its palm. ‘Everything’s going to be all right now, you’ll see.’

When the Reverend Mother rose from the chair beside the bed as he held Maria and his shirt muffled her sobs, he lifted his head for a second. ‘I’ll stand in the passage to let you have a moment alone.’ She told him before he thanked her with his eyes and she made her way out of the room, his hold of his wife tightening as he leaned himself back against the headboard and settled down with her.

‘I wouldn’t have stopped them from taking her, Georg, I just wanted a minute with her first!’ Maria cried into his chest.

‘I know, my love, and if I had been there at the time then I would have seen to it that they gave you that minute,’ He said against her hairline. ‘I’m so sorry that you had to endure all of that by yourself. I hate myself for not being here when you needed me the most.’

She moved her head from his chest to his shoulder and looked up at him through red, tear-filled eyes, and once Georg had brushed some of the tears from her cheeks she laid her hand on the side of his neck. ‘It wasn’t your fault, Gretl was sick and it wouldn’t have been fair to keep her in school. Like you said, neither of us could possibly have known what was going to happen that afternoon and we need to stop apologising. Let’s…let’s just be here for one another from this moment on, hmm?’ She pulled him into a warm kiss, his hand moving around from her back to her side so that he could pull her further into his embrace as her lips moved over his own.

‘I like the sound of that,’ He pressed his forehead against hers once they’d parted and tried to catch his breath. ‘I love you so much.’

‘I love you too,’ She sighed before rather a large yawn left her and she covered her mouth with her hand to catch it. ‘Oh, forgive me.’

He couldn’t help but chuckle as he nuzzled her hairline with his lips. ‘I think it’s time for you to lie down and get some actual sleep.’

‘Will you lie with me, please? I need to be in your arms for a little while.’ She snuggled closer to him.

‘Of course, my love, I just need to go downstairs first and ask Franz to take the Reverend Mother home.’ He told her.

She nodded and shuffled back from him so that he could get up from the bed and walk out of the room, and mere moments after he had walked down the passage the Reverend Mother came back into the bedroom and the two of them shared a smile. ‘I thought that I would come and say goodbye while I have the time,’ She walked over to her before sitting down on the edge of the bed and resting her hand on her cheek. ‘I suppose I shouldn’t be saying this, but there honestly aren’t words to describe how desperately I love you. You’ve always made me so proud and you remind me so much of myself when I was your age…’ She swept her thumb over her skin.

‘I’ve loved you from the moment I joined the convent, mother, and I know that you knew that even though I wasn’t allowed to say it. I can remember how you used to let me sit with you in your office when I couldn’t sleep at night and how you would ask Mrs. Pichler to make me chamomile tea to settle me. I hadn’t been shown love or kindness of any degree for so long before I joined the convent, and I believe that that was one of the things that drew me to you. I always felt safe when I was with you and even though I’ve left the religious life, that still hasn’t changed. I’m able to approach you about anything and I love knowing that.’ She nuzzled into her palm.

The sound of a throat being cleared caused her to lift her head and she felt her heart swell in her chest at seeing her husband in the doorway to the bedroom. ‘Franz is bringing the car around, Reverend Mother.’ Georg said from where he was standing, the Reverend Mother looking over her shoulder at him for a second before she turned back to Maria and leaned forward to kiss her on the temple.

‘Try and sleep, all right? It’ll do you the world of good,’ She took her hand in hers and squeezed it before standing from the bed and walking over to Georg while Maria laid herself down beneath the covers. ‘Take care of her, Captain, she’s very special.’ She told him.

‘Yes…’ He trailed off with a smile that could only be described as lovesick as he watched his wife make herself comfortable. ‘She is.’

The Reverend Mother smiled and clasped her hands in front of her. ‘I can find my own way out, it’s not a problem. Maria needs you.’

‘Thank you again for all you’ve done, I do appreciate it.’ He laid a hand on her arm.

‘You don’t have to thank me,’ She shook her head. ‘I would do anything for her and for this family. Now, I’ll say goodbye.’

‘Goodbye,’ He echoed before running a hand through his hair once she had walked out of the room and closed the door behind her, nothing but love in his eyes as he turned to the bed and started to make his way over to it. It took him seconds to take off his shoes and jacket, and after pulling back the quilt and climbing into bed beside his wife his hand found her waist and he brought her close. ‘It doesn’t feel like it at the moment, I know, but I promise you that we and the children are going to get through this at some point. I’m not sure how long that’s going to take, sweetheart, but we will and then when we think about her it’s not going to be as painful.’

Maria sighed deeply. ‘I think we should put a bench in the rose garden in her memory like you suggested, Georg, it’ll help so much.’

‘We can go and pick one out together after you’ve recovered,’ He replied. ‘She was so cherished and the bench will be proof of that.’

Even though she smiled at him, the sadness and pain she felt in regard to all she had been through over the past couple of days was unmistakable in her eyes and so he rolled onto his back and brought her to cuddle against him. The two of them laid in silence for a time after that, Georg trailing his hand along his wife’s back while she tangled a leg with his beneath the covers, but when she tilted her head back on his shoulder and kissed his cheek he turned his head to look into her eyes again. ‘What was that for?’ He inquired.

‘Everything…’ She whispered. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too, and that’s not going to change regardless of what life throws at us.’ He buried his nose in her fringe with a soft huff.

Maria closed her eyes and draped an arm over his stomach when he started to dot kisses across her forehead and temples, and after settling in the circle of his arms she hid her face in the side of his neck. It was going to be a while before she began getting past the loss of her baby girl, weeks if not months, and even though she was dreading the next couple of weeks the thought of having Georg beside her all the while made her smile. She knew that he was going to be there to hold and support her for as long as she required.

She knew that he was going to bring her out of the darkness.


	4. Chapter Four

The sight of his beautiful bride sitting on the grass with her arms around Marta and Gretl as the photographer took a photograph of the them made Georg smile as he wandered out onto the terrace with Max, his heart swelling as they approached the balustrade and he watched her burst out laughing at something one of the girls said. He had been her husband for all of three hours and he already felt like the luckiest man who'd ever lived. What he had done to deserve the love of such a wonderful young woman he doubted he'd ever know, but there was one thing he was certain of and that was that he would spend the rest of his life striving to be worthy of it.

'You're staring again…' He was pulled from his thoughts by Max's voice and he couldn't help but chuckle when he looked at him.

'Can you blame me? When she's down there looking like that? To be quite honest, I'm not too sure why I'm explaining myself to you because I've been a married man for the past three hours. You no longer have a say in what I can and can't do,' He lifted his glass of scotch to his lips and took a sip while turning his attention back to Maria, and relief coursed through his veins when he realised that the photographer had finished taking photographs of her and the girls and the three of them were now stood chatting. He had been unable to have her to himself for so long since she had been having photographs taken with their children, and now was his chance.

Pushing away from the balustrade, he turned and walked down the stairs that led down to the garden and shared a smile with Baron and Baroness Elberfield before strolling across the grass to his wife. He smoothed his hand across the small of her back through her dress and rested it on her hip once he had reached her side, and when she leaned against his chest and looked up into his eyes with a smile he brushed his lips against her hairline. 'If you wouldn't mind, my lovelies, I need to speak to your mother alone for a while,' He told their daughters. 'Why don't you run along and find Liesl? If you ask her politely, she might fix you both a bowl of ice cream.'

'Yes! Come on, Gretl!' Marta grabbed her little sister's hand and all but dragged her in the direction of the marquee.

'What happened to not letting them have any treats before dinner? What else has changed while I've been gone?' Maria giggled while turning to face her husband once their daughters had raced off in search of their sister, and when Georg rested his forehead against hers with a sigh she brought her hands to his waist and curled her fingers into his jacket. Oh, she had missed him. She had returned to the convent for the week leading up to the wedding so that she could pray about things and the sisters could help to prepare her, and she was certain that it had been the longest week of her life. She never wanted to be without him or their darling children again.

'I've not had you to myself since we had our photographs taken on your mountain this morning,' He reminded her while slipping his arms around her and pulling her flush against him, the two of them beaming as she slid her own arms around his waist and nuzzled her nose against his. 'I would have promised them both new bicycles if I'd had to, but luckily our daughters are very easily satisfied.'

Maria's heart fluttered at him referring to Marta and Gretl as theirs. 'I still can't believe I'm their mother…'

'You had your chance to run, but I'm afraid there's no going back now.' He teased.

'As if I'd want to…' She scoffed, her lips inches from his own. 'I'm happier than I've ever been and I could never regret my decision.'

Unwinding an arm from around her, he lifted his hand to her cheek and cupped it beneath her veil while brushing his thumb against her skin. 'I wasn't going to tell you this and I'll deny it if it gets out, but I got a little overwhelmed when you entered the cloister this morning. I'm not sure if it was because you looked so beautiful or because I had missed you so much while you'd been at the abbey, but it truly took everything I had not to cry and make myself look like a complete idiot in front of everyone,' The slight disbelief that lived in her eyes made him chuckle as he tightened his hold of her. 'I love you so much and I promise I'm going to make you happy.'

'Well, I know one way you can start doing that.'

'Do enlighten me, Baroness.'

'You can put me out of my misery and finally tell me where we're headed on our honeymoon,' She stepped closer to him, if that was even possible, and let her hands run tenderly across the small of his back as she laid her chin on his chest. 'Please, darling, tell me.'

He had planned on teasing her a little longer about good things coming to those who wait, but when she gave him that little pout of hers he was utterly powerless to refuse her request. 'My love…' He all but mumbled while tracing the line of her jaw with his fingers before stepping out of her arms and taking her hand. 'Come with me.' The two of them smiled as their fingers slid through the gaps in one another's on instinct, and when he started to guide her away from the reception and in the direction of the gazebo he felt the love he had for her deepen as her head dropped onto his arm. He just couldn't understand how one woman could be so…so perfect.

They strolled side-by-side in comfortable silence for several minutes, the music that the band was playing and the chattering of the guests growing fainter as they approached the gazebo, and after reaching it he released her hand and opened the door so she could enter before him. 'Oh, it's much warmer in here than it is out there,' She remarked while running her hands along her arms to warm them up a little. 'It's at times like this that I long for my sack-cloth dresses! They weren't the most attractive, but they were so warm!' Georg chuckled as he closed the door behind them before walking over to where she was standing and pulling her close by her hips.

'We'll be heading inside shortly,' He reassured her. 'Perhaps you and I can just hide out in here until then.'

'You'll hear no argument from me…' Her voice was soft as she slid one hand up the front of his chest and brought it to settle on the back of his neck so that she could pull him down to her, and the two of them smiled against the other's lips when she caught him in a kiss that was instantly deep and languid. One thing she loved the most about him was that he always took his time when he kissed her like this. He never rushed his way through it, choosing instead to get drunk on her kisses and reaffirm his love for her with each little squeeze of her waist or sigh of delight. He was such an affectionate, passionate man and she felt so privileged to finally be his.

When she broke the kiss and created a little space between them quite some time later, she let her forehead lie against his and used her hand on the back of his neck to hold him in place while she attempted to catch her breath. Her heart fluttered in her chest when she opened her eyes and noticed that he was gazing down at her with nothing but love in his own, and after brushing one more kiss against his lips she took a step back from him and reached for his hand so that they could walk over to one of the benches together. 'Will you tell me where you're taking me now? Please? I don't think I can wait much longer!' She asked after sitting down beside him.

Deciding not to answer her with words, he smoothed his thumb across her knuckles as he held her hand and reached into his breast pocket. He then smirked as he handed her the folded up piece of paper and allowed her to let go of his hand so that she could open it up and start to read. The little gasp that came from the back of her throat told him that she had discovered where they were going after a couple of seconds, and when she looked up from the letter and met his gaze he couldn't help but laugh at the amazement in her eyes. 'You're…you're taking me to Paris? For two months?' She stammered in total disbelief as she stared at him. 'Paris, France?'

'Yes, my love,' He lifted his hand to brush her veil out of the way of her face, her excitement only deepening the love he had for her. 'It could quite well be one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to and ever since I asked you to marry me, I've not been able to stop thinking about how much I want to see you experience it for yourself. I managed to book us quite a nice suite at the Ritz hotel, somewhere I've stayed several times in the past, and we have a private balcony which will practically allow you to look out at the city from our bedroom. The only downside is that we'll have to be up at five o'clock tomorrow so that we can catch the six o'clock train.'

Maria looked at him in silence for a moment longer before lowering her gaze to the letter in her hand again and shaking her head as she read it a second time. 'I truly can't believe it…' She almost whispered. 'I mean, I had a feeling that you were planning something extravagant like this because I know what you're like, but I never thought that we would be travelling all the way to Paris! Oh, Georg, I'm so excited! I've always wanted to go travelling and visit different places, but I never had the chance.' She sighed somewhat sadly.

'You've never left Austria before?' Sliding closer to his bride on the bench, Georg slipped his arm around her.

'Darling, I've never left Salzburg before,' She revealed. 'I…I wasn't an unwanted baby by any means, but I was definitely unexpected. My mother and father were so poor when they found out that she was pregnant, and when I was born my needs only put more strain on them financially. Even though father worked hard and mother spent most of her days at the market selling produce, money was a very big problem while I was growing up and so we never had the means to go travelling. Then, of course, I lost them and I was sent to live with my uncle. I don't think I have to tell you that he wasn't the kind of man to take me anywhere…' She cuddled against him.

With a soft stroke of her waist, he pressed his lips to the side of her head through her veil and sighed at the feeling of her snuggling further into his warmth. 'I am going to do everything in my power to make the next two months as memorable for you as possible, I promise. Anything you want to do, just tell me and we'll do it. I honestly don't even care if that consists of walking around shops for hours on end because all I want is for you to enjoy yourself.' He tightened his hold of her when she turned her head toward him and laid a hand on his chest, and when she leaned in to catch him in a tender kiss he smiled against her and ran his thumb over her hip.

'I love you, Georg.' She breathed once they had parted and she had drawn back a little to look him in the eye.

'I love you too, my beautiful Baroness,' He reassured her. 'Now, as much as I'd love to stay in here with you, I suppose we…'

The sound of giggles reached his ears before he had even managed to complete his sentence and he couldn't help but chuckle when he looked over his shoulder to see Marta and Gretl racing hand-in-hand towards the gazebo. Tracing circles into the back of Maria's palm with his thumb, he watched Gretl open the door and enter ahead of her sister before he shook his head at her when she all but jumped into his lap. 'You are not as small as you once were, my love, you can't keep doing that!' He tickled her ribs after pulling her close, her precious laughter and squeals of happiness warming his heart as she tried to get away from his hand. 'Did you find Liesl?'

'Yes, father, and she let us have two bowls of chocolate ice-cream!' Marta beamed while Maria brought her to sit in her lap.

'Two?' Maria gasped. 'My, my, you are lucky girls!'

Her heart swelled in her chest when her little girl wrapped both arms around her neck and buried her face in her shoulder, and once she had cradled the back of her head in her hand she turned her head and nuzzled a kiss into the dark hair that was pinned up atop her head. 'I've never had a mother before,' Marta's voice was rather muffled by her dress as she clung to her, yet she could still hear all that she was saying. 'I really like it! Thank you for loving all of us enough to come back and be our mother, mother, we love you.'

'Oh, Marta,' Maria managed to choke out as she held back her tears and stroked her daughter's hair with her thumb. 'I love you too.'

She looked at her husband when he trailed a hand along her back after she had held Marta in silence for a while and the look on his face was almost enough to bring her to tears. She had never had someone look at her with such love and devotion in their eyes, and it truly was the most beautiful feeling in all the world. 'Thank you,' She sniffled. 'For giving me the life I've always dreamt of having.'

'No,' He reached for her hand before bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of it. 'Thank _you_ for giving me back the life I lost…'

The two of them knew that they and the girls would have to return to the reception soon before the guests began questioning where they had gotten to, but when she shuffled closer to him and let her head fall onto his shoulder while he put his arm around her they silently agreed that five more minutes wouldn't hurt.

Just five more minutes…

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter, I truly appreciate it! Please let me know what you thought with a comment and I'll see you all next time!


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